MyGlasgow News

University staff gathered in large numbers last week to bid farewell and best wishes to Neil Campbell, Director of Campus Services, who is leaving the University after 34 years service. ‌

In his tribute to Neil's years of service, outgoing Secretary of Court, David Newall, said: "Neil started in 1983 as an assistant accommodation officer and worked his way up the ranks, and became Head of Accommodation.  In my time with the University, Neil was appointed Director of Campus Services. Not many people will be able to recite all of those responsibilities...but I will!  Neil looked after the cleaning service, janitorial security, residential, hospitality, conference and visitor services and transport!  Neil also acted as a Director of GU Heritage Retail - the University Shop.

"If you know all of these services, you'll know there are so many people in these services who area really proud to work for the University and really commited and loyal to it, and Neil is an exemplar of that attitude."

Mad Molars

David Newall made special reference to the City of Glasgow's hosting of the Commonwealth Games in 2014 and the University's role in hosting the Commonweath Games Business Conference. He said all the campus services had a role to play at that time and played it so well, showing the University off to such good effect, under Neil's guiding hand.  He said Neil had taken on many other, special roles that were not directly in his job description: the disability service, the introduction of the GP service on campus and his work with other colleagues on the crisis and emergency response team. 

There was laughter when David Newall turned to Neil's love of vintage and veteran cars and his July 2015 triumph when, with Jeremy Bagg, Head of the Dental School and Ronnie Ford, Transport Services Manager, he drove a 38 year-old Leyland Princess from Northern France down to Monaco, raising £10,000 for the UofG Dental School.

David ended his tribute with an automotive simile, saying Neil had acted on so many occasions as the University's 'shock absorber', employing his calm and supportive demeanour to bring a potential crisis under control. David said: "Neil, thanks for all you have done for the University. Your colleagues who have enjoyed working with you are going to miss you and we wish you all the best."

In reply, Neil said he'd been very touched by the huge cross-section of staff who had turned up to wish him well: "It's an amazing organisation with a huge reservoir of lateral thinking and mould-breaking thinking.  It is a unique institution and quite special.‌ All the best for the future and thank you all very much indeed."

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First published: 18 May 2017